Punk publishing

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My colleague Rick Stanford speculated recently on whether we were entering the final days of the paper-and-covers book, as the use of kindles and ereaders becomes more and more part of our daily lives. I agree with many of Rick’s conclusions, but I think there’s one area of the subject he missed out on which is equally important, and that’s the growth of niche and self publishing. It’s also an area that should have a greater impact on one of our biggest selling items – book boxes.

In the same way that the rise of punk in the 1970s and 1980s encouraged young musicians to manage their own recording careers, so the development of certain modern technologies is allowing today’s authors to bypass the traditional publishing house. For some that does mean digital books, but at the same time, print-on-demand technology is providing the means for individuals and special interest groups to publish their own books at a standard similar to that which the HarperCollins and Penguins of this world can offer.

Never mind the publishing house

Self publishers, it has to be said, are rarely going to be selling in the kinds of quantities that will be of interest to the major publishers anyway, which is why they’re more likely to look to a company like Davpack to provide something in which they can post their product. For while major publishers would sell their books through a third party (like a bookshop, for example), our modern literary entrepreneur is not only going to be writing and publishing, he’s going to be marketing, selling and despatching directly to his customer as well!

When working on the phone in the Sales office, I have more than once taken calls from writers – both professional and prospective – who were interested in some kind of gift or book packaging so they could send their self published tomes to customers, friends or publishers. I am also aware of a former Premier League footballer selling his autobiography through his own website, who has ordered quite a lot of book boxes from us!

Anarchy in the book market?

In fact, putting Rick’s musings on ebooks together with my own research suggests that it is not the book or literacy itself that are at risk. Rather it is their traditional purveyors – the bookshop and the large publishing house – who need to view the future with caution. From where I’m sitting, I’m pleased to say that as more people have the power to influence what is available to be read, so more people are likely to be able to find something to their own taste.

If you’re a writer in need of some quality packaging materials in which to distribute your work, please call 0844 800 9844 and find out how you can get low cost book boxes that will make sure your publication reaches your customer safely every time. Anyone interested in publishing the Collected Works of the Davpack Blogger can call the same number!

Dave Smith

With a background that has included spells in marketing and editorial management in the publishing and performing arts industries, Dave is now a valued member of Davpack’s marketing team, where he is our lead blogger and senior copywriter. Still relatively new to the business, he will be aiming to look at the world of cardboard boxes and packaging materials from a slightly different angle to the usual.
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